:::::::::5gf ALONG THE STREAM OF DEATH m::::::::: 



sand. No sooner has the water disappeared than the 

 life of the neighbouring banks and of the jungle, 

 stretching back on each side, begins to encroach on the 

 water-worn trail, and at the time of our visit plants 

 have sprung up, flowers bloomed, and the creatures 

 of the wood and air use it as a convenient path to the 

 water in the o'reat barranca. 



The lower part of the arroyo is wide and the sides 

 slope gently outward, but a little distance farther up 

 it makes a sharp bend and narrows quickly ; from there 

 onward its dark recesses are luxuriant with vegetation, 

 isolated from the outside world, and greatly beloved 

 by the wild creatures. 



In the lower reaches of the arroi/o we saw for the 

 first time a gray and black bird which has no common 

 name but was most interestino- to us as beingf the 

 first member, that we had seen, of the great tropical 

 family CotuKjlche. To this family belong birds noted 

 for their marvellous colours, crests, or voices, such as the 

 Cock-of-the-rock, the Umbrella-bird, and the Bell-bird. 

 This Frog-bird, as we nicknamed him, had none of 

 these characteristics to distinguish him, although his 

 plumage was rather attractive — a pearl-gray body and 

 tip of tail, w^th black flight feathers, tail, and face. 

 The female, however, had no black on the head. We 

 may call it the Gray-headed Titvra {Tltyra j^er sonata 

 griseiceps). The broad bill, naked skin on part of the 

 face, clumsy body, and hoarse croaking were the reasons 



«4 229 ^ 



